Hi James,

I hope you are well.

The following appears to be being attributed to you in the media:

http://www.westmeathexaminer.ie/news/roundup/articles/2015/09/10/4105682-bannon-lashes-government-for-plan-to-dump-homeless-dubliners-in-midlands/

I cannot find your statement online but if so I just wanted to clear up a few fundamental misconceptions with you as follows:

(1) Not all homeless people in the Dublin region are from Dublin – many are from rural counties (like Longford) or from abroad

(2) The majority of the “new homeless” in the Dublin region are families with children who were in private rental accommodation but who have ultimately become victims of rising rents and a shortage of supply; they are now accommodated in hotel/b&b facilities

(3) Can you provide any evidence whatsoever to support the claim that “…large numbers of homeless people from Dublin will be relocated to the Midlands in order to make further room for affluent people in Dublin”

The use of an expression like “dump unwanted Dubliners” is ill-judged, inflammatory and should be withdrawn. Use of the word ‘plantation’ on this island speaks for itself.

Finally in relation to your call for “political courage to resettle some of the prosperity in Dublin to rural areas” can I remind you that this already happens in the shape of major net taxation transfers out of the greater Dublin region.

I’ve never heard you express concern about “dumping unwanted tax receipts” in the Midlands but perhaps I missed that statement.

I look forward to hearing from you – yours faithfully,